quick sweet recipes: The Linzer Torte Is The Austrian Take On Pie And This Guide Tells You How To Make It

The linzer torte is a traditional Austrian pastry, a type of shortbread topped with fruit preserves and sliced nuts. It normally has a lattice design on top and is named after the city of Linz in Austria. They can also be served as small tarts or cookies. The linzer cookies or linzer tarts are a cookie sandwich topped with dough with a circular shape in the middle through which the fruit preserve shows. The linzer torte, in normal size, is similar to a pie or tart and is a holiday treat in several traditions, including the Austrian, Czech, Swiss, German and Tirolean. It's often eaten at Christmas. So try your hands at this unique and interesting dessert with this quick sweet recipe. It is surprisingly easy to make and one that we’re sure you’ll enjoy making and eating.

Ingredients

For the raspberry preserves:

• 225 gm frozen raspberries, unsweetened
• 50 gm granulated white sugar, or to taste
• lemon juice

For the linzer torte:

• 150 gm whole almonds (can use blanched almonds)
• 60 gm whole hazelnuts
• 195 gm all purpose flour
• 135 gm granulated white sugar
• Zest of one lemon
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 195 gm cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 40 gm egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, for dusting

Directions:

• First make the raspberry preserve. Place the frozen, unsweetened raspberries and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 20 minutes. Keep cooking till most of the liquid has evaporated. Keep stirring or it will stick to the bottom and burn. Then remove from heat and pour it into a cup. Add a few drops of lemon. Then cover and place in the fridge for a few days,
• Preheat the oven to 350°F or 177°C.
• Place the almonds on a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. The exact time will depend on the machine you're using. It's done when the almonds are lightly browned and fragrant. Then place the hazelnuts on the baking sheet and bake for about 15 minutes or until fragrant, and the outer skins begin to flake and crack.
• Once the nuts are cooled, place the almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor and blend. Add the flour and continue to blend until finely ground. Then add the sugar, lemon zest, ground cinnamon, ground cloves, salt and baking powder and process until it is all thoroughly combined. Then add the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Finally, add the two egg yolks and the vanilla extract and pulse until the dough starts to come together. It will feel like wet sand.
• Then transfer the dough onto a work surface, place it into a ball and then divide it into two pieces, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap the smaller ball in plastic wrap and place in the fridge for an hour. Take the other, bigger ball and press the dough onto the bottom and up the sides of a greased tart pan.
• Now take the cooled raspberry preserves and spread it over the bottom of the crust. Cover with a plastic wrap and place in the fridge.
• Remove the smaller dough ball once firm and roll it between two sheets of wax paper, into a circle. Then cut it into strips. Place the strips on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover it with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for about 10 minutes. Once the strips are firm, use a spatula to pry them out and transfer the strips on the tart pan. Place half the strips on the pan and then weave with the strips in a different direction on top. Trim the edges so the strips fit the tart pan.
• Bake the tart for about 30 minutes. The exact time depends on the machine you're using. You’ll know it's done when the pastry is golden brown and well set. Then let it cool on a wire rack. Then remove from the mold.
• Add a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. Dust the top of the tart with confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm.
• Leftover torte can be stored for a week in the fridge.